The Return Home
by Alicorn's Prayer
Summary: Alicorn's day has been stressful. She returns home to find that the changes have only started


Her heart and soul heavy after a day of trying to clear up misunderstandings, Alicorn's Prayer enters the Phoenix Keep, knowing that at least here, outside troubles within the city won't disturb the peace and serenity of her family here. It's the one place, that all have managed to leave their troubles at the door step, and seek unity and friendship despite their personal business they do outside the keeps walls.  
  
Alicorn walks through the halls towards the common room, to sit and relax for a bit. As she enters the common room and takes a seat on one of the many couches available, a female servant brings to her a soothing cup of cappuccino. Ali stares into it's creamy depths, and  
  
inhales the soothing scents of white chocolate and vanilla. Another servant brings to her the papers of the additions to her family's keep. She glances over it, ensuring that all within the keep will have their own special place of serenity. She wonders to herself how each will decorate and personalize each of their rooms. From full fledge clans people to the ambassadors who are as much a part of her family and heart also.  
  
'Of course', she thinks to herself, we'll have to enlarge Cerri and Siddy's rooms, since both have found mates. I don't want their loved ones to feel unwelcome as they're important to me, as much as they're important to my lovely sisters.'  
  
As the thought of her sisters, ambassadors, and clans people, pride in their accomplishments makes her heart swell. She knows that some choices made though, will cause those she loves dearest great pain perhaps. She wishes she could shelter them all from harm, but knows that sometimes one must follow their heart and fall sometimes too.  
  
As these thoughts cross through her mind, she knows she must go make peace with one she loves dearly. Although she tried so hard to explain her position and warn her of the possibility of failure, she knows that it did nothing more than anger her sister than make things right. As she thinks how to rectify this gulf between her and the other, her drink grows cold. A servant appears to bring her a fresh cup, and Ali gently waves her away with a quiet smile.  
  
'It couldn't't be helped' Ali thinks out loud. 'But perhaps here, we'll be able to talk as sisters, not as officials, as we've always done?'  
  
Suddenly, Ali makes up her mind and a hopeful smile lightens her face. She talks to the servant, asking her to prepare and bring to her sister's room some of her sister's favorite treats. 'Oh, and  
  
please don't forget the champagne and confetti? She loves them so much.' The servant smiles at her mistresses' renewed humor and hurries off to prepare the things her mistress asked for. As the servant rushes off, Ali waves her hands gently in the air, forming a bouquet of white roses intermingled with jasmine and baby's breath. She takes a deep breath of the bouquet's fragrance, hoping that this small token can convince her sister that her intent hadn't been to criticize, but to help and not cause further damage.  
  
With a determined step, Alicorn walks to her sister's old suite. With a whistle and giggle, she thinks fondly how family may disagree, but in the end love holds them together despite difficult trials. Ali knocks on the door of her sister's chamber, but she is met by only silence. Gently she calls out her sister's name and hears no reply.  
  
'Perhaps she's lying down resting? Well, if so I'll not wake her but leave these to brighten her night when she awakens?' And with that decision made, Alicorn quietly opens the door so as not to wake her sister, as she knows well the concerns and worries that have weighed her down of late. And how it's taken them both through the full circle of emotions, with their love for one another the only thing staying constant.  
  
As the door opens, Ali slowly looks about the room. Knowing her sister's tendency to just drop things on the floor as she readies for bed, Ali prepares herself for having to dodge an obstacle course of clothing, knic- knacks, and anything else she might have been toying with at the time. But instead, her eyes see nothing. 'Hmmm, for a change she's cleaned up the place. Perhaps she didn't want her beloved to see it in a shambles?' But as she starts to head towards the bedroom, she notices that not only is the usual mess missing, but so is everything else. Not a knick-knack, a stray book, not even a stick of her sister's keepsake furniture. Ali rushes through the suite, to look into her sister's room. Again, nothing. Not even the bed. Laying about are a few pieces of torn paper and bent hangers, as if whomever removed everything was in a rush to gather their things up.  
  
Alicorn stands there quietly. Her mind and eyes not wanting to see all that emptiness. With a cry, and as the roses fall on the floor, Ali runs out of the room. 'Oh, by the Ancients, don't let this be what I think it is? Perhaps Poppy knows what has happened and that it's only temporary?'  
  
But as Ali rushes into Poppy's room, her eyes take in the same emptiness. As she wonders through the chamber's rooms, she notices the same hurried leaving that she saw in her sister's room. As tears start to fall from Ali's eyes, she shakes her head in disbelief. She rushes about, trying to see if she can find a note or something from her clan mate, explaining this leaving. But nothing.  
  
Ali remembers the pieces of paper in her sister's room, and rushes down the hall, hoping perhaps these scraps hold some clue as to why suddenly city life has invaded their peaceful and happy home. She frantically grabs each scrap, hoping to find some message, but there's nothing there. Not one word, not one letter, not one ray of hope that things could have been repaired. Ali stands there in numb silence, her body shaking with silent sobs as the tears flow unchecked down her face. A startled gasp catches her attention, and Ali turns around to see the servant standing in the main chamber room, holding a tray laden with her sister's favorite things.  
  
'My lady, what has happened here? My lady? Are you alright? Do you want me to get someone to help you? Poppy's right down the hall, I'll get her for you and the both of you could perhaps talk to Siddy together?'As she finishes her query, she notices her mistress despair deepen. She watches as her mistress drops to the floor, as sobs and tears shake her mistresses' body. She watches as her mistress gathers up the fallen foliage, hugging them to her tightly, as silent sobs shake her body harder and the white roses are covered with tear drops of blood. She quickly makes the tray she's holding disappear and runs swiftly down the hall to get assistance for her mistress.  
  
A darkness surrounds Ali, as pain, grief, and disappointment rip through her. She rocks slowly, clutching at the roses, as if they're the only thing holding her on this plane of existence. As the grief grows deeper, her mind rails at the hopelessness that grips her. Her mind screams at the Ancients begging to be released from this realm. In her mind she hears her mates often spoke words 'I told you so. No one can be trusted. They love you for a bit, but once you don't appease them, they'll leave you. After all, they are tainted with humanity, and have known nothing else but humanity and this existence. They are not like us and they'll never understand.'  
  
Alicorn screams in her mind to make the words disappear. She knows that he hasn't said this as of yet. But she remembers so well how he's said it before in the ages gone past. She begs the Ancients to please release her from this pain, to remove her from any further hurt by caring too deeply for others. As her plea whispers from her lips, the servant appears with Teether moving behind her, trying not to trample her in his haste to get to his lady mother's side. Teether and the servant's concern grow as they watch their mistresses fragile body crumble onto the floor. They watch as a pool of blood forms beneath and around her crumpled body, and her silent sobs rack her very being. They try to console her, but know that she's unaware of all things now, except for her grief and pain. Teether growls deep in his throat, knowing his mistress has given up on existing. He remembers well how her pain in the past, had driven her far beyond not only his reach, but her mate's also. How she had been nothing more than husk and dead to all. And how the mystical realms had suffered because of her leaving. Teether looks at the servant, as he gently picks up his lady's body, cradling her. Trying to reach her and let her know she was cared for and needed. The servant groans as she watches precious blood flow in streams from every pore, becoming a river running through the room.  
  
Teether starts a gentle chant, his dragon song reaching beyond the realms in into the heavens. He knows if they do not get her to safety soon, she may be lost forever this time. Slowly, a brightness fills the room, as a door seems to open from the skies and into the room they are in. A white owl glides in just as a huge stag steps through this shining doorway. As their animal forms touch the carpeting flowing with the blood of one of their own, they slowly change and  
  
shift into their human forms. The servant falls to the floor in reverence, knowing she's in the presence of the Ancients.  
  
The gentleman, whose crown is that of the huge antlers of a stag, gently takes his mate's hand and starts to head towards the dragon and it's charge. The lady, dressed in a green gown, her hair braided and feathers forming a crown, stops to kneel next to the young servant girl. 'Child, stand up straight. Your lady wouldn't like to see you laying in worship to us or herself. Do as she has taught you to be, which is find pride in yourself and your gifts.' The servant glances at her mistress, wipes her tears, and stands up proudly, knowing that she has been honored to be told she's an equal. 'My child, we all are equals in the end. And don't despair, for we will do what we can to repair the pain our daughter is feeling.'  
  
As the lord and lady near the dragon and Ali, they surround her with a healing light. Slowly, her eyes open to stare into their visages. With a great weakness, she says 'Mother. Father'They know that their energies aren't enough to reach her pain as of now, but to hear her speak encourages them none the less. 'Shhh daughter. We are here to ease your pain, but you are still needed. Rest, and things will right themselves in the end.' the elegant lady tells her as she gently caresses her daughter's face.  
  
The man looks about, and wonders where his daughter's mate is, knowing that he'll be concerned for her welfare. He glances at Teether, and the dragon shakes his head, telling the man that her husband is away now. 'Can't be helped than my old friend, but we'll have to ensure his anger isn't long lasting, as it will cause her more harm if those she loves is made to suffer his wrath.' Teether groans in agreeance, knowing how caring his mistress is and steadfast in her love of even those that hurt her. It explains why she's endured her mate's own anger and hurtful ways so long.  
  
'Home, I want to go home.' Ali cries out. As waves of sobs shake her more, and the tears start flowing again. 'But you are home dearest Daughter. This is where you belong.' the Lady answers her.  
  
As fresh sobs tear from her very soul, she utters 'Not anymore. To stay means that others will be torn apart in loyalties to each other. I could not bear to see those who seek shelter in the keep be made to choose between myself or my sister, as another has already done. And I can not watch as the home I created for all fall apart and not be able to stop it. I want to return to the realms, if you won't grant me oblivion.' The effort of speaking shows as Alicorn seems to wither more into herself.  
  
The man shakes his head sadly, knowing that his daughter's words are true, if for now only spoken from the depths of pain and loss she is feeling. He knows also, that if they are to save her, they must for the meantime, return her to a place that will offer her comfort and healing. Both of spirit, mind, and body. With a gesture to the servant, he whispers in her ears to tell her mistresses' mate where they will be. As Alicorn fights to stay conscious, Teether proceeds to leave the keep, stepping over the crushed bouquet now floating in his lady's tears. As they pass through the common room, a place that once echoed Ali and her family's laughter, now echos with her sobs instead. The lady looks at the fragile female, and knows that Ali wouldn't want to leave with no word to those she cares for. So she hands a missive to the young servant girl who's following silently behind, concern and care written over the servant's face. 'My Lady, tell my mistress to heal and return here. If not, to please allow me to join her where she goes, as I will always dutifully serve her till the end of time.' 'It's up to her right now. Whether or not she's willing to live with the pain of abandonment, or to give into the darkness and oblivion. But I will tell her when she's hopefully strong enough to respond.' the Lady replies.  
  
'If death is what my lady chooses, than death do I also. I will serve her beyond the grave my lady, as I've always sworn to do.' the servant girl replies. Than with a deep bow, she turns around gracefully. With a determined step and her back straight, she goes to deliver the missive to those that Ali has depended on to run the keep in her absence and her mistress has loved completely and openly.  
  
Teether and the Ancients exit the keep. As the Ancients weave the words that will take them to the Mystical Realms, Teether gently places Alicorn on his back, making sure his lady is secure for their trip. The portal opens, and the Ancients resume their animal shapes as they step into the shining light. Teether gently flaps his wings, and prepares to enter with his charge. As darkness and weakness rack  
  
Ali's body, she takes one last look at the place she called home once. She closes her eyes tightly, refusing to feel anything more, waiting on oblivion to overtake her. As Teether takes them through the portal, she hears the call of one of her clan people, ripping at her heart anew, telling her not to leave, as she is the Keep.  
  
Blackness finally fills every part of Ali's being, and she welcomes the silence of oblivion. 


End file.
